Discover the story of $21 trillion in hidden government finances and how secrecy continues to thrive—explore the deep dive into financial cover-ups in this edition.

In the 2019 Annual Wrap Up, we delve into the U.S. government’s handling of $21 trillion in undocumentable adjustments at the Department of Defense and HUD, highlighted by Dr. Skidmore’s report. The government’s response, particularly the implementation of FASAB 56, has allowed secret financial activities to flourish, shielding vast sums of money from public oversight. Through media efforts, these discrepancies are downplayed as mere accounting errors, while the true scale of financial fraud remains hidden. In this edition, I provide a personal history of my experiences with missing money and financial cover-ups in the federal government, tracing my journey from my time as Assistant Secretary at HUD to the present.